djdojo said...
No pics but I'll try to explain.
Definition from the interweb: Galling is a condition whereby excessive friction between high spots results in localized welding with subsequent splitting and a further roughening of rubbing surfaces of one or both of two mating parts.
Occasionally happens with screws and inserts. When it does, the male part tends to come off worse and not repairable, but the female part - in this case the insert - just has some crud wedged in the thread pretty firmly.
A tap is a tool used for cutting a thread into a hole. By carefully running a tap through the galled female part you clean out the extra metal and restore the thread.
Because kiteboard inserts are blind - the hole doesn't go right through - you need a bottoming tap which has minimal taper so it can cut to the bottom of the hole.
Hope that wasn't too simplistic an explanation??
In this process I found out that although all my previous boards have had metric inserts - cardboard, nobile, underground, cabrinha, - slingshot and liquid force boards run whitworth threads (an imperial based sizing).
Anyway, in a few years of kiting and lots of stuffing about with pads and straps and stances this has only happened once, and was easily fixed so nothing to be too concerned about.
nice one dojo! That's a lot of boards you've been through!
